Lifting sling



July 7,' 1936. FlLDES 2,047,139

LIFTING SLING WI TNESSES:

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BY m and: K F; a QM M TORNEYS.

INVENTOR:

F. K. FILDES July 7, 1936.

LIFTING SLING Filed Feb. 1, 1956 I V 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 11

TORNEYS. I

Fmdzricic H. Fildes,

BY I

WITNESSES: ywdmuw Patented July 7, 1936 or ii V '2 Claims:

My; invention-relates to.-lifting slings used moving. demount'abletruckbodies and shipping containers. Many lifting, slingsahave beenproposed. for moving shipping: containers but the 7. problem is toefiiciently couple the sling-lto-the containen without a man a riding-1the sling: or climbing up on:totheicontainer'ftom Theriding of the slingis dangerous to the workman and the weight of a man on the top of manycontainers and truck bodies will seriously damage them.

Consequently the principal object of my invention is the provision of aserviceable lifting sling which may be coupled and uncoupled without thepresence of a workman on the sling or container. Another object is theprovision of a lifting sling which guides itself into the couplingposition as it is lowered over a container or truck body. Another objectof my invention is a simple, rugged and efiiciently operated liftingsling without complicated structural features. Further objects andadvantages of my invention will appear from the following description ofa preferred embodiment thereof, referring to the accompanying drawings.

Of these drawings,

Fig. I shows a plan view of a lifting sling which is a preferredembodiment of my invention.

Fig. II shows a side View of same.

Fig. III shows an end view of same.

Fig. IV shows a fragmentary plan view' of a corner of the frame of thelifting sling.

Fig. V shows a fragmentary side view of a corner of a lifting slingmodified as to the outside hook guides.

Fig. VI shows a fragmentary end view of same.

Fig. VII shows an exploded view of the combination of hook guide andengaging link in the preferred form of my invention.

Fig. VIII shows an exploded view of the combination of hook guide andengaging link in the modified form of my invention.

For the purposes of a detailed description, the lifting sling shown inthe drawings may be separated into a suspension frame I shownconventionally in broken lines only, a frame 2, outside hook guides 3,hook engaging links 4, engaging solenoids and disengaging springs 6. Thesuspension frame I to which the frame 2 is fastened, is fully describedin United States Patent to Fildes, issued July 31, 1934, No. 1,968,135and need not be further described here.

The frame 2 is rectangular in shape and is made up of longitudinalmembers l0, transverse members II and diagonal bracing members l2. Theconstruction must be rugged and durable because of the weights to'belifted=- Thelongitudinal members I!) are each made up of a pairof'beamshaped; pieces held in spacedparallel relation byspacingelements' l3.

Securedto eachend of each longitudinal mem 5 her I!) is an outside hookguide 3: I he hook g-uide' 3 isriveted tobrackets M which-are-riveted tothelongitudinal member 01; I?he-- hook guide} has a guide surface 2|which inclines outwardly and downwardly from the frame 2. Recesses 22are formed in the guide surfaces 2| to receive the hook engaging links 4while the guide surfaces 2| are operating on the outside portions ofcontainer hooks in positioning the lifting sling. Thus there is noobstruction in the smooth operation of these guide surfaces 2|. Theoutside hook guide 3 projects outside the container and requires noelevation and special formation of the back part of the container hookas is the case where a hook guide operates on the back of the containerhook. 2O

Pivotally attached to each hook guide 3 by a pin 24 is a hook engaginglink 4 having operating arms 25 and 26. The operating arm 25 isconnected to a spring 6 which is secured to anchoring arm 32 attached toframe 2. The operating arm 25 26 is pivotally attached to an actuatingrod 33 of the solenoid 5 which is also attached to the frame 2. Thusthere are four solenoids 5, one at each corner of the frame 2, and eachindependently operated. There are four springs 6, two secured at eachcommon anchoring arm 32. Consequently the engaging links 4 are eachindependent in their operation.

The modified form of hook guide 3a shown in Figs. IV, V, VI and VIII,has a different form of 35 recess 22a in the guide surface 2| and also aside hook guide 49 which aids in positioning the frame 2 transversely asdo the outside hook guides 3 longitudinally. Recess 22a receives thesides of the link 4a into the guide 3a so that the sides of 49 the link4a aid in guiding the frame into position by contact with a containerhook.

In operation, the lifting sling is positioned over a container or truckbody and lowered so that the guide surfaces 2| of the guides 3 contactthe outer parts of the container hooks. In this way the frame 2 quicklycomes to rest on the tops of the container hooks. The solenoids 5 arethen operated and the links 4 snap into engagement with the containerhooks and are held there by the 50 solenoids 5 until lifting iscommenced. The solenoids 5 are released as soon as the links 4 begin totake the weight. When the container is lowered and the frame 2 againcomes to rest on top of the container hooks, the spring 6 automaticallysnap the links 4 out of engagement with the container hooks and seatthem in the recesses 22 of the guide surfaces 2|. This quick andefiicient operation in coupling and uncoupling is accomplished without aworkman either on the frame 2 or on the container roof. A definite timesaving results from the harmonious operation of the coupling anduncoupling mechanisms, each working with a positive and precise motionat the proper time.

While I have described a preferred and modifled form of my invention indetail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that manychanges may be made and other forms adopted without departing from thespirit of my invention as defined in the annexed claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A lifting sling having a frame, outside hook guides attached to saidframe, and hook engaging links attached to said guides, said linksseating in recesses in said guides when in the disengaged position.

2. A lifting sling according to claim 1 characterized by the furtherfact that said links are held seated in said guides in the disengagedposition by pressure means.

3. A lifting sling according to claim 1 characterized by the furtherfact that said links are held seated in said guides in the disengagedposition by pressure means and said links are urged to the engagedposition by engaging elements which overcome said pressure means.

4. A lifting sling according to claim 1 characterized by the furtherfact that said links are held seated in said guides in the disengagedposition by pressure means and said links are individually urged to theengaged position by independent engaging elements which overcome saidpressure means.

5. A lifting sling having a frame, outside hook guides attached to saidframe, hook engaging links attached to said guides, said links seatingin recesses in said guides when in the disengaged position, springpressure means urging said hooks to the disengaged position, and anindependent engaging solenoid for forcing each hook independently intothe engaged position.

6. A lifting sling according to claim 1 characterized by the furtherfact that said outside hook guides have side hook guides for engagingthe sides of container hooks.

7. A lifting sling according to claim 1 characterized by the furtherfact that said outside hook guides have inner side guides for engagingthe inner sides of container hooks.

FREDERICK K. FILDES.

